fauces

fauces, ium ( sing. nom. faux only in Cael. Aur. Tard. 2, 11, 127, =arteria aspera; cf. Varr. L. L. 10, § 78 Müll.; Charis. p. 72 P. —The abl. sing. fauce sometimes in poets: Ov. H. 9, 98; id. M. 14, 738; Hor. Epod. 14, 4; Phaedr. 1, 1, 3; 1, 8, 4; Mart. 7, 37, 6 al.), f. [cf. Sanscr. bhūka, hole, opening], the upper part of the throat, from the root of the tongue to the entrance of the gullet, the pharynx, throat, gullet (syn.: gula, guttur, jugulum).

I.

Lit.: summum gulae fauces vocantur, extremum stomachus;

quibus fauces non sunt, ne stomachus quidem est,

Plin. 11, 37, 68, § 179:

exigua in arteria sub ipsis faucibus lingula est, quae, cum spiramus, attollitur,

Cels. 4, 1: (galli) favent faucibus russis cantu, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 2, 26, 57 (Trag. v. 250 ed. Vahl.):

sitis fauces tenet,

Plaut. Most. 2, 1, 34:

sitis fauces urit,

Hor. S. 1, 2, 214:

lippiunt fauces fame,

Plaut. Curc. 2, 3, 39; 1, 2, 36:

fauces tussientes,

Cels. 5, 25, 11:

nuces videntur fauces exasperare,

Plin. 23, 8, 74, § 142:

fauces tumentes strangulant vocem, etc.,

Quint. 11, 3, 20:

infirmatis faucibus, praeconis voce concionatus est,

Suet. Aug. 84 fin.:

propino tibi salutem plenis faucibus,

Plaut. Stich. 3, 2, 16:

merum ingurgitare faucibus plenis,

id. Curc. 1, 2, 39:

exscrea usque ex penitis faucibus,

from the bottom of your throat, id. As. 1, 1, 28:

alicui fauces prehendere,

id. Most. 1, 3, 62; cf.:

qui sacerdoti scelestus fauces interpresserit,

id. Rud. 3, 2, 41:

laqueo innectere fauces,

to strangle, Ov. M. 10, 378; cf.

also: ad necem secandasque novacula fauces,

Suet. Calig. 23:

fauces manu sua oppressit,

id. ib. 12:

retinens singulos et contortis faucibus convertens,

id. Caes. 62.— Trop.:

faucibus teneor,

I am caught by the throat, I feel the knife at my throat, Plaut. Cas. 5, 3, 4; cf.:

cum faucibus premeretur,

Cic. Clu. 31, 84:

Timarchides premit fauces defensionis tuae,

id. Verr. 2, 3, 76, § 176: eripite nos ex faucibus eorum, quorum crudelitas, etc., from the jaws, Crass. ap. Cic. de Or. 1, 52, 225; cf. Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 6, § 19:

urbem totius belli ore ac faucibus ereptam esse,

id. Arch. 9, 21:

e mediis Orci faucibus ad hunc evasi modum,

App. M. 7, p. 191:

cum inexplebiles populi fauces exaruerunt libertatis siti,

Cic. Rep. 1, 43:

lupus fauce improba incitatus,

i. e. voracity, Phaedr. 1, 2, 3.—

II.

Transf., of places:

A.

A narrow way, narrow inlet or outlet, an entrance, defile, pass (cf. angustiae): Corinthus posita in angustiis atque in faucibus Graeciae, in the mouth or entrance, Cic. Agr. 2, 32, 87:

in Ciliciae angustissimis faucibus,

Curt. 7, 4; cf.:

qua fauces erant angustissimae portus,

Caes. B. C. 1, 25, 5:

portus,

id. ib. 3, 24, 1;

3, 39, 2: Masinissam persecutus in valle arta, faucibus utrimque obsessis, inclusit,

Liv. 29, 32, 4:

Aemilius sedens in faucibus macelli,

Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 62, § 145; so,

macelli,

id. Quint. 6, 25:

per fauces montis ut Aetnae Exspirent ignes,

the crater, Lucr. 6, 630:

cava flumina siccis faucibus, etc.,

Verg. G. 4, 428:

altae montis,

Lucr. 6, 697:

Nilus multis faucibus in Aegyptium mare se evomit,

through many mouths, Plin. 5, 9, 10, § 54:

Bospori,

the Dardanelles, id. 6, 1, 1, § 4; Sil. 12, 127:

cum fornacem facies, fauces praecipites deorsum facito,

Cato, R. R. 38, 3: pictis e faucibus currus emittere, from the barriers, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 48, 107 (Ann. v. 89 ed. Vahl.).—

B.

The jaws of the earth, gulf, abyss:

patefactis terrae faucibus,

Cic. N. D. 2, 37, 95.